Railroad cross-tie.



A 0 9 l 0 3 G U A D E T N E T A P I m I B R W 8%. 6 r 9 6 7 on N RAILROAD GROSS TIE. APPLICATION nun SEPT. 1a, 1003.

N0 MODEL.

5M fiM w m Patented August 30, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. ELLIs, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT.

RAILROAD CROSS-TIE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 769,068, dated August 30, 1904.

Application filed September l9,1903. Serial No. 173,873- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LVVILLIAM F. ELLIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stamford, in the county of Fairfield and Stateof Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railroad Cross-Ties, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a The invention also consists in certain novel features in the construction and arrangement of parts, all as hereinafter descrlbed, and speicifically'pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top view of the combined tie and tie-plates.

as applied to the rails. Fig. 2 is a view in which a rail is shown in side elevation and cross-sectional view shown of the tie, taken on the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a top view of a portion of the tie. Fig. 5 is a top view of two cooperating tie-plates.

Referring to the drawings, 6 designates the tie, which is in the form of an inverted arch having outwardly extending supportingflanges 7 and is preferably constructed of structural steel in order to provide the necessary resiliency to the walls thereof. The tie at the point of junction with the flanges is curved outwardly, as at 8, producing a flared bearing extremity to the walls of the arch, which bearing portion will be brought into operation with the tie-plate 9 when pressure is applied to said plate. The tie-plate corn prises apair of cooperating like elements, each consisting-of a metallic strap turned under at each end to form flange-embracing hooks 10 and having a centrally inturned hook 11, formed integral with the strap,which is adapted to embrace the base-flange 12 of the rail 13 and may be hammered into close contact with the base-flange when the rails are placed in position. The hooks 10 of the combined tie-straps are received in the notches 14: in the flanges of the tie, whichnotches not only hold the plate against lateral displacement, but also the outside sections of the tie-plates can be snugly positionedon the rails, after which the tie is again compressed to receive said outside sections within their respective notches 14.

In the present invention when the tie-plates 'are depressed the flared or curved bearingsurfaces 8 continuing into the flanges? spring inwardly under the weight upon the rails in view of the connections established by the tie plates 9. In this manner a cushioning effect is obtained, and at the same time the load is equally distributed on every part of the tie. J Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is A' railroad-tie, comprising a resilient U- shaped arch having horizontally-disposed out- Wardlyprojecting flanges extending full length of the tie, the opposite walls of the tie merging into the flanges flaring outwardly in curved lines, said flanges having slots at diametrically opposite points therein near the ends, and a tie-plate disposed horizontally 7 over and bearing upon the flanges adjacent to each opposed pair of slots, the said tie-plates being bent downwardly through the slots and under the flanges and also provided with centrally upstanding inwardly projecting railengaging hooks, the terminal downwardlybent ends of the tie-plates being of such length as to permit yielding movement of the arch without disengaging the ends of the tie-plates from the flanges which they engage.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses. WILLIAM F. ELLIS. Witnesses: LOUIS J. CURTIS, J ULIUs B. Comm. 

